Theme model 19
Theme-model XIX.—THE ORATION. The oration may make use of all the forms of persuasion that have been pointed out ; namely, pure persua¬sion or exhortation, and those involving narration, description, exposition, and argumentation. All ora¬tions are not so elaborate as to employ all of these forms. Bruce's address in Burns's Bannockburn con¬tains only exhortation ; Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, only narration and exposition used with a persuasive purpose. The deliberative oration is the one that most frequently combines all of the five forms of discourse — narration, description, exposition, argu¬mentation, and persuasion. Perhaps the most sys¬tematically planned deliberative oration of antiquity is Cicero's speech, For the Manilian Law; one of the best modern representatives, Burke's speech on Con¬ciliation with America. The Deliberative Oration in Outline. We shall confine our study of the oration to the delib¬erative type because it is the most complex and it is closely allied to the debate. The outline for such an oration in its complete form is as follows : i. The Exordium or Introduction (see §287). This gives, as in the debate, any explanations that may be necessary in regard to the nature of the subject, the presence of the speaker, the speaker's attitude to the subject, etc. In the introduction the orator must contrive to create prejudice against his oppo¬nent, win favor for himself, and make the audience believe the subject being discussed is important. 2. The Narratio. This gives a history of the case that is being considered or of the speaker's experi¬ence with or relation to the case. In pleading for the citizenship of Archias, Cicero takes occasion to sketch briefly the life of his client. The narrative used in this division is of course retrospective. 3- The Partitio (see § 235). This enumerates as in the debate the main headings of the direct proof which is to follow. 4- The Confirmatio or Direct Proof is the same as the corresponding division of the debate. 5. The Confutatio or Refutation also is identical with the corresponding part of the debate. 6. The Peroratio or Conclusion. This part of the speech consists generally of pure exhortation or appeal for action, in view of what is pre¬sented in the speech. The Deliberative Oration Combines Nar¬ration, Description, Exposition, Argumentation, and Persuasion. It will be seen from the above analysis that the deliberative type of the oration is derived from the debate by adding two new motives, the Narratio and the Peroratio. The Exordium is ex¬pository; the Narratio of course narrative ; the Par¬titio expository. The Confirmatio and Confutatio are argumentative, and in them' descriptive, narrative, or expository material may be used as proofs. The Peroratio belongs to Persuasion. It is evident, there¬fore, that this type of the oration employs all of the five forms of discourse. The Exordium. We may gain some notion of the explanatory nature of the first paragraph of the kind of oration we have been studying, from the following statement of the introductions to a num¬ber of Cicero's orations as summarized by Allen and Greenough. Cicero begins his speech on the Manilian law by explaining why this is his first appearance before a political assembly ; his speech in defense of Archias by setting forth the claim of Archias to his services, both for personal reasons and because he is a man of letters ; his defense of Roscius by stating his reasons for undertaking the case and showing the political aspect of the trial. Burke introduces his speech on Conciliation with America by showing (i) that the political situation with reference to America calls for a speech on the subject of England's policy ; (2) that Burke is qualified to speak ; (3) that the plan he is about to propose has advantages over that of his opponent.